Plaiting-machine



0. AND L. E. ODLE.

PLAITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 29, I920.

1 ,88'7,658, Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3 Ophelia Odle.

MIN/5555. Leo Estefl Odie. m 95 flag, ATTORNEYS 0. AND L. E. 0DLE..

PLAITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29, I920.

Patentd Aug. 16, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PLAITING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

Application filed October 29, 1920. Serial No. 420,463.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OPHELIA ODLE and LEO ESTELLE OnLn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Waco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaiting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to plaiting machines especially adapted for use in plaiting cloth and similar material.

The object of the invention is to provide a plaiting machine of this character which efliciently folds or plaits the cloth in accordion or other desired style of plaiting, which applies heat and an ironing pressure to the cloth during the plaiting or folding operation and which is of simple and durable construction reliable in operation and easy and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in transverse vertical section of the adjustable journal and associated structure;

Fig. 5 is a similar view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in transverse longitudinal vertical section and partly in elevation of the spindle and the electric heating means associated therewith.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention. it be seen that the invention contemplates a frame designated generally at 10 and embodying spaced standards 11 secured together in spaced relation by parallel cross bars 13 which extend between the standards and are secured thereto at their ends.

Centrally of the upper portion of each of the standards there is provided an opening 1 1 in which an adjustable journal 1,5 is slidably arranged. The adjustable journals 15 are constrained to rectilinear sliding movement by means of guide flanges 15 formed thereon and engaging the adjacent portions of the standard 11. A cap block 16 rests upon the top of each standard and extends across the opening 15 thereof and each cap block is secured in place by screws or simi lar fastening means 17. The cap blocks 16 are each provided with a threaded opening 18 therethrough in which a threaded shaft 19 is engaged. The lower end of each shaft 19 is swiveled, as at 20, to an adjustable journal 15 and the upper end of the threaded shaft 19 carries a hand wheel 21.

A spindle 22 is provided and has at each end a trunnion '22. The trunnions 23 are rotatably arranged in the journals 15.

A roller or roll 23 is keyed, as at 24, to the spindle 22. The periphery of the roller or roll is provided with a. plurality of longitudinally disposed ribs or corrugations 25, each of which have a substantial extent beyond the periphery of the roll and have inclined side walls 25 and blunt ends 25*.

A hollow spindle 26 is carried by the standards 11 below the spindle 22. To secure the hollow spindle 26 to the standards acollar or flange 27 is integrally formed at one end thereof and is bolted, as at 28, to the adjacent standard 11. A roll or roller 29 is rotatably mounted on the fixed or hollow spindle 26. This roll 29 is loosely mounted with respect to rotative movement on the spindle 26 but is prevented from longitudinal. displacement thereon by meansof shoulders 29 The roll or roller 29 has also formed on its periphery longitudinally disposed ribs designated at 30, which are identical in construction with the ribs 25 of the roll 23 being provided with similar inclined walls 30 and similar blunt ends 30. The rolls or rollers 23 and 29 'coact and their ribs 25 and 30, respectively, intermesh or interfit, as shown in Fig. 3. Moreover, the ribs of these rollers also coact, as when going into, while in, and when going out of the interfitting or intermeshing relation these ribs exert an ironing pressure against each other.

Means is provided for electrically heating the roll or roller 29. This means consists of a tube 31 of insulating material inserted in the hollow spindle 26. This tube 31 has its inner end closed, as at 32, and centrally of the inner closed end and interiorly of the tube is provided an apertured boss 33. An

annular shoulder or flange 34 is formed on the periphery of the tube and engages the outer end of the hollow spindle when the tube and spindle are assembled. An electric heating element is arranged in the tube 31 and preferably consists of an electric coil 35 having one convolution secured to a binding post 36 carried by an insulating plug 37 arranged in the tube and having the other end. convolution of the coil deformed and extending through the aperture of the boss 38, as indicated at 38. This end convolution is further extended to constitute a return wire 39 supported in the insulating material of the tube and leading back to a second binding post to which is also carried by the insulating plug 37. Supply conductors 41 are also attached to the binding posts 36 and 40 and a protective cap 31 is provided for the exposed portions of the binding posts. In the heating circuit a rheostat 42 is preferably incorporated and serves to regulate the degree of'heatset up in the roller 29.

Means is provided for driving the rolls or rollers and consists of a pulley 43 fixed on an extension 24 formed on the spindle 2a which is driven by means of a belt 4A- from the pulley 45 fixed to the motor shaft 46 of a motor 47. The motor 47 is preferably carried by one of the standards 11, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. 7

In practice, the coacting rolls or rollers may be adjusted by means of the adjustable journals of the upper roll, to receive and efficiently operate upon any thickness of cloth. Current is then supplied to the heating coil of the roller 29 and the motor 47 is started up to impart rotation to the co acting rollers. The material to be treated is fed between the rollers where it is subjected to a creasing or folding action to effect the formation of the plaiting and to the action of an ironing pressure, and of heat to give permanent and lasting form to the-plaits. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the coacting rollers are made of such length as to accommodate any standard sizes of cloth so as to give to the machine a great range, of utility.

We claim:

1. In a plaiting machine of the character set forth, a frame including standards and cross rods extending therebetween and secured thereto, adjustable journals arranged upon the upper portions of said standards, a spindle having trunnions rotatably received in said journals, and an extension exteriorly of one of said standards, a roller keyed to said spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a hollow spindle carried by and secured to the lower portions of said standards, a coacting roller rotatably mounted on said hollow spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery adapted to be intermeshed with the ribs of the first mentioned roller, said rollers being adapted to receive between them the material to be plaited, means for driving said rollers including a pulley secured to the spindle extension and means for electrically heating the coacting roller including a tube of di-electric material arranged in said hollow spindle and an electric heating element arranged in said dielectric tube.

2. In a plaiting machine of the character set forth, a frame, a spindle rotatably journaled in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a hollow spindle carried by and secured to the frame, a coacting roller rotatably mounted on said hollow spin dle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery adapted to be intermeshed with the ribs of the first-mentioned roller, said rollers being adapted to receive between them material to be plaited, means for driving said rollers, and means for electrically heating said coacting roller including a tube of insulating material arranged in said hollow spindle, and an electric heating element carried by said tube.

3. In a plaiting machine of the character set forth, a frame, a spindle rotatably journaled in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle, andhaving longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a hollow spindle carried by and secured to the frame, a coacting roller rotatably mounted on said hollow spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery adapted tobe intermeshed with the ribs of the first-mentioned roller, said rollers being adapted to receive between them material to be plaited, and means arranged in saidhollow spindle for electrically heating said coacting roller.

4. In a plaiting machine of the character set forth, a frame, a spindle rotatably journaled in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a hollow spindle carried by and secured to the frame, a coacting roller rotatably mounted on said hollow spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery adapted to be intermeshed with the ribs of the first-mentioned roller, said rollers being adapted to receive between them material to be plaited, and means for electrically heating said coacting roller including a tube of insulating material arranged in said hollow spindle and an electric heating element carried by said tube.

5. In a plaiting machine of the character described, a frame including a pair of stand ards, each having an opening at its upper end, a cap block extending across each of said openings, a threaded'shaft carried by a roller keyed to said spindle and having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a second spindle fixed to the standards and a coacting roller rotatably mounted on said second spindle having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery adapted to be intermeshed with the ribs of the first mentioned roller, said rollers being adapted to receive between them the material to be plaited.

6. In a plaiting machine, a frame, a spindle rotatably journaled in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle, a fixed spindle carried by and secured to said frame, a coacting roller rotatably arranged on said fixed spindle, and means carried by said fixed spindle for electrically heating said coacting roller.

7. In a plaiting machine, a frame, a spindle rotatably journaled in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle and a fixed spindle carried by and spaced from said rotatable spindle and a coacting roller rotatably journaled on said fixed spindle.

8. In a plaiting machine, a frame, a spindle rotatably mounted in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a fixed spindle carried by and secured to said frame, and a roller rotatably mounted on said fixed spindle and having longitudinal ribs on its periphery arranged to rotatably interfit the ribs of the first mentioned roller.

9. In a plaiting machine, a frame, a spindle rotatably mounted in said frame, a roller keyed to said spindle having longitudinally disposed ribs on its periphery, a fixed spindle carried by and secured to said frame a roller rotatably mounted on said fixed spindle and having longitudinal ribs on its periphery arranged to rotatably interfit the ribs of the first mentioned roller, and means for driving said rollers including a motor and gears transmitting the motion of the motor to one of said rollers.

MRS. OPHELIA ODLE. LEO ESTELLE ODLE. 

